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(NPR) Amusing Before there were iPod-wearing, introverted Emos, there were Boombox-toting idiots who blasted their stuff to the entire neighborhood. BONUS: Boombox gallery included   (npr.org) divider line 178
More: Amusing  
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torch [TotalFark] 2009-04-23 12:44:14 AM  
I'm sorry but the reporter is just a moron. "FIFTY decibels of power-packed bass...." That's less sound pressure than the average conversation in a quiet room.

 
dillenger69 [TotalFark] 2009-04-23 01:31:21 AM  
I remember going through a few boom boxes in my youth. I knew I'd hit the big time when I got one with DUAL tape decks.

 
bobbette [TotalFark] 2009-04-23 02:06:47 AM  
Did you just call Fab Five Freddy an idiot?!!

 
betona 2009-04-23 07:07:21 AM  
Well, it is quieter now that they pipe the music right into their skulls using those crappy ear-bud thingys.

 
Norad [TotalFark] 2009-04-23 07:12:07 AM  
Well, it is quieter now that they pipe the music right into their skulls using those crappy ear-bud thingys.

Except when they're driving around shaking the shiat out of entire city blocks with that deep-down subwoofer goodness.

 
Znuh 2009-04-23 07:12:15 AM  
I own a JVC-RC-838JW and I'm getting a kick out of these replies.

 
Foxie299 2009-04-23 07:13:54 AM  
Famous boomboxes from...
Almost an Angel
Doctor Who (Rememberance of the Daleks)
Star Trek IV

 
Pud [TotalFark] 2009-04-23 07:14:18 AM  
holamun2.com

That's how we roll in the ATL

/hot 1983 style

 
sleep lack 2009-04-23 07:14:24 AM  
Boom shake shake shake the room

shake shake shake shake.

 
lazymojo 2009-04-23 07:14:41 AM  
Surely he doesn't mean RADIO RAHEEM?

 
AlwaysRightBoy [TotalFark] 2009-04-23 07:14:48 AM  
Ummmm..... I grew up with a Transistor radio. AM ONly.
/Cousin Brucie

 
Joce678 2009-04-23 07:14:52 AM  
torch: I'm sorry but the reporter is just a moron. "FIFTY decibels of power-packed bass...." That's less sound pressure than the average conversation in a quiet room.

Probably meant fifty Watts, the moran.

 
FishInABowl 2009-04-23 07:14:56 AM  
I'm a bit too young to remember 'Boxes' but I wish they'd make a comeback.

 
Joce678 2009-04-23 07:16:29 AM  
most had double cassette decks, so if you were walking down the street and you heard something you liked, you could go up to the kid and ask to dub a copy.

Ah, the sweet sound of RIAA lawyers gnashing their teeth ... that's music to MY ears.

 
asciibaron 2009-04-23 07:18:41 AM  
i guy i went to school with had a boombox that was all decked out in lights that would sequence with the music. we'd turn the lights off and this sucker would light up the room - it was a boombox lightshow beast.

it ran on 12 D batteries - that sucker was HEAVY - wish i could remember was brand it was

 
cardex 2009-04-23 07:21:40 AM  
FishInABowl: I'm a bit too young to remember 'Boxes' but I wish they'd make a comeback.

no you don't. the people that used them had the worst taste in music, luck fully they went away because most places started issuing huge fines to people using them if the sound could be heard from more then X feet away (usually so close that it was basically imposable to use it outside)

 
World Eater 2009-04-23 07:21:52 AM  
betona: Well, it is quieter now that they pipe the music right into their skulls using those crappy ear-bud thingys.

Except when they crank it out of their shiatty cell phone speakers in the subway. Nothing like tinny distorted Akon.

/my lawn
//off it

 
Harry Freakstorm 2009-04-23 07:25:18 AM  
One morning in the mess hall, this gentleman comes in with a massive boom box. He tapes the antenna wires to the wall and proceeds to blast out "Ring My Bells". The fact that this happened in 1980 may be relevant.

The mess sergeant, a fat almost always angry E-7, comes out of the kitchen, looks at this and says "Sounds good." He disappears in to the kitchen to argue with an E-4 about the day old french fries to potato ratio in the morning hash brows. "More french fries. We got a ton!" "You can't see any potato slice. The grunts won't eat it." "They won't see it until it's on their plates. Dump more fries in!"

Sadly, it was not the worst meal I had in the Army.

 
Phil Herup 2009-04-23 07:27:33 AM  
R.I.P. Radio Raheem

www.yankees2000.com

 
Jamieboy 2009-04-23 07:30:45 AM  
There's this 30ish something guy, who is one can short of a six pack, that lives with his mom a block over from me. He had this farking extra huge boom box clamped to the handle bars of his bike and rides around playing KYW news radio at an ear splitting volume. Some days I don't have to turn on my radio to find out what the weather report is. When he is not roaming the neighborhood on his bike, he sits on the stoop of his mom's house and plays disco tapes and shoots people who walk by the finger. He's harmless enough and people tolerate him. We are just glad he doesn't play rap, Yani or John Tesh music. He reminds me of a Far Side character.

 
skinink 2009-04-23 07:32:02 AM  
I had a Sharp double cassette mini boombox with a handle on the side so you could set it down vertically. It was pretty cool looking but broke easily.

 
id10ts 2009-04-23 07:32:36 AM  
What's a "Boom Box"?
Whatever. Turn down that noise.
I'm headed for the attic, I got a new chunk of galena.

/too old
//get off my lawn
///bonus points for those getting my galena reference

 
emocomputerjock 2009-04-23 07:34:02 AM  
My radio believe me I like it loud
I'm the man with the box that can rock the crowd
Walkin down the street to the hardcore beat
While my JVC vibrates the concrete

 
stickindamud 2009-04-23 07:34:52 AM  
img5.imageshack.us

 
nopokerface [TotalFark] 2009-04-23 07:35:56 AM  
Ghetto Blaster.

/Let's get it right people

 
Phil Herup 2009-04-23 07:38:59 AM  
Everyone knew the box with the most cred was always the Panansonic Platinum.


dailyramblings.com

 
pwn3d781 2009-04-23 07:39:20 AM  
I had one of those dual-cassette boomboxes once. Plugged in, or took 6 "D" batteries. I thought it was cool, though for me, it was a desktop stereo, because I wasn't inclined to share my mix tapes with the entire world.

Ah, yes, the joys of taping an hour of "Flashback To The '80s" on a Sunday night, hoping to hear some songs I liked!

What has always fascinated me, though, is that loud car stereos only seem capable of playing rap and hip-hop. Just once, I want to be at a stop light, when a car pulls up with the subs pounding so hard they risk shaking the filling out of my teeth. Except I want to see someone totally rocking out to Metallica's "One," or better yet, "Save A Horse (Ride A Cowboy)." Country-pop has bass, too.

 
arcwolf 2009-04-23 07:41:29 AM  
Spock is not amused.

www.theboxset.com

Phaser hot...

 
siege_bong 2009-04-23 07:44:55 AM  
I went to a boarding school in the late 70's and everyone used to have a stereo cassette player of some type.

The noise that would come out of the dormitories was horrendous as everyone would play their favourite bands at full volume.

My stereo cassette player was a
www.festered.com

Marantz Superscope which I got in 1978 and still have, though I'm not sure if it is technically classified as a boombox.

 
You said 2009-04-23 07:46:36 AM  
pwn3d781: I had one of those dual-cassette boomboxes once. Plugged in, or took 6 "D" batteries. I thought it was cool, though for me, it was a desktop stereo, because I wasn't inclined to share my mix tapes with the entire world.

Ah, yes, the joys of taping an hour of "Flashback To The '80s" on a Sunday night, hoping to hear some songs I liked!

What has always fascinated me, though, is that loud car stereos only seem capable of playing rap and hip-hop. Just once, I want to be at a stop light, when a car pulls up with the subs pounding so hard they risk shaking the filling out of my teeth. Except I want to see someone totally rocking out to Metallica's "One," or better yet, "Save A Horse (Ride A Cowboy)." Country-pop has bass, too.Just once, I want to be at a stop light, when a car pulls up with the subs pounding so hard they risk shaking the filling out of my teeth. Except I want to see someone totally rocking out to Brahms's 1st. Classic has bass, too.

fix

 
texasjoe 2009-04-23 07:47:08 AM  
nopokerface: Ghetto Blaster.

/Let's get it right people


Thank you. White people over the age of fourteen HATE hip-hop. Gnomesane?

 
DashFieldpaint [TotalFark] 2009-04-23 07:48:37 AM  
Boombox case mod:

Link (new window)

 
pwn3d781 2009-04-23 07:49:44 AM  
You said: Except I want to see someone totally rocking out to Brahms's 1st. Classic has bass, too.
fix


That works, too. As long as it's something that seems hopelessly out of place. Which, incidentally, is about 90% of the different genres of music.

 
xynix [TotalFark] 2009-04-23 07:51:35 AM  
Jamieboy: There's this 30ish something guy, who is one can short of a six pack, that lives with his mom a block over from me. He had this farking extra huge boom box clamped to the handle bars of his bike and rides around playing KYW news radio at an ear splitting volume. Some days I don't have to turn on my radio to find out what the weather report is. When he is not roaming the neighborhood on his bike, he sits on the stoop of his mom's house and plays disco tapes and shoots people who walk by the finger. He's harmless enough and people tolerate him. We are just glad he doesn't play rap, Yani or John Tesh music. He reminds me of a Far Side character.

Not relevant to a boom box but you just reminded me of my X Wifes uncle who took acid in like 1969 and it farked him up so bad he still thinks it's 1969. His walls are covered in Led Zeppelin posters and Skynard and he still thinks the Vietnam war is going on. Every morning he wakes up it's June 12th 1969.

Anyways.

 
Phil Herup 2009-04-23 07:53:59 AM  
siege_bong: I'm not sure if it is technically classified as a boombox.



I would say this a boombox.


Not quite a ghetto blaster though.

 
csi_yellowknife 2009-04-23 07:55:06 AM  
I thought that "One" didn't technically have a bass. Still wouldn't mind hearing that instead of generic rap (or rap metal) that you imagine Icy Hot Stuntaz listening to....only with more backwards caps and a Douche Gotee.

 
tassimau 2009-04-23 07:55:37 AM  
too long to read, so I will just comment on how much I hate Emos. Emos are fagz. There, I said it. Good bye now.

 
rocky_howard 2009-04-23 07:57:10 AM  
Heh, this has to be one of the strangest pictures out there:

www.lasonic.com

Yep, that sound you hear is your mind trying to comprehend what's going on here, why are these two separated by time technologies together?

It's akin to a human riding a dinosaur.

 
the_real_muppet 2009-04-23 07:57:53 AM  
The important and socially relevant part of the story is the line that mentions the fact that you could easily copy a tape any time in the very common dual-bay cassette players. Granted, it's not quite the internet for pure distribution power, but nobody really worried about it much except the RIAA, and they barely got into the news when they biatched about it.

How times have changed.

 
DrHST 2009-04-23 08:02:34 AM  
sleep lack: Boom shake shake shake the room

shake shake shake shake.


Warm it up Prince

 
TheAbstractor [TotalFark] 2009-04-23 08:07:08 AM  
engelphoto.com

 
Phil Herup 2009-04-23 08:08:31 AM  
rocky_howard: It's akin to a human riding a dinosaur.


Real bass can not come from small speakers. Physics.


The whole idea is forcing your music on others. The iPod just allows for massive song storage and battery power conservation.

 
xynix [TotalFark] 2009-04-23 08:09:17 AM  
I see your guys with funny sunglasses and raise you two Jordis.

Jordi from STNG:
2.bp.blogspot.com

Jordi Labanda:

www.studio469.com

/one is hotter than the other.

 
HoboSong [TotalFark] 2009-04-23 08:09:41 AM  
i303.photobucket.com

 
Barton Fink 2009-04-23 08:15:51 AM  
to me, this might be the most interesting submission ever on fark.

 
agoodbook 2009-04-23 08:18:57 AM  
Soundwave approves.

 
mekkab [recently expired TotalFark] 2009-04-23 08:20:34 AM  
You said: pwn3d781: I had one of those dual-cassette boomboxes once. Plugged in, or took 6 "D" batteries. I thought it was cool, though for me, it was a desktop stereo, because I wasn't inclined to share my mix tapes with the entire world.

Ah, yes, the joys of taping an hour of "Flashback To The '80s" on a Sunday night, hoping to hear some songs I liked!

What has always fascinated me, though, is that loud car stereos only seem capable of playing rap and hip-hop. Just once, I want to be at a stop light, when a car pulls up with the subs pounding so hard they risk shaking the filling out of my teeth. Except I want to see someone totally rocking out to Metallica's "One," or better yet, "Save A Horse (Ride A Cowboy)." Country-pop has bass, too.Just once, I want to be at a stop light, when a car pulls up with the subs pounding so hard they risk shaking the filling out of my teeth. Except I want to see someone totally rocking out to Brahms's 1st. Classic has bass, too.
fix



I have a sub-woofer and have been known to drop "Symphony Fantastique" (3rd movement thru 5th... end of the third has massiv timpani rolls!) or "Night on Bald Mountain."


My excuse? I drive a hybrid and when I'm driving on electric I need to warn the pedestrians! ;)



AlwaysRightBoy: /Cousin Brucie

Is it good or bad that I know exactly what you're talking about?

 
Mikeceratops 2009-04-23 08:28:51 AM  
A boombox is not a toy.

 
Otter_ 2009-04-23 08:30:12 AM  
You said: pwn3d781: I had one of those dual-cassette boomboxes once. Plugged in, or took 6 "D" batteries. I thought it was cool, though for me, it was a desktop stereo, because I wasn't inclined to share my mix tapes with the entire world.

Ah, yes, the joys of taping an hour of "Flashback To The '80s" on a Sunday night, hoping to hear some songs I liked!

What has always fascinated me, though, is that loud car stereos only seem capable of playing rap and hip-hop. Just once, I want to be at a stop light, when a car pulls up with the subs pounding so hard they risk shaking the filling out of my teeth. Except I want to see someone totally rocking out to Metallica's "One," or better yet, "Save A Horse (Ride A Cowboy)." Country-pop has bass, too.Just once, I want to be at a stop light, when a car pulls up with the subs pounding so hard they risk shaking the filling out of my teeth. Except I want to see someone totally rocking out to Brahms's 1st. Classic has bass, too.
fix


I can't help but crank up the volume to max when the mix cd gets to Pavarotti singing Nessun Dorma.

 
bamf75 2009-04-23 08:31:18 AM  
My radio, believe me, I like it loud
I'm the man with a box that can rock the crowd
Walkin' down the street, to the hardcore beat
While my JVC vibrates the concrete
I'm sorry if you can't understand
But I need a radio inside my hand
Don't mean to offend other citizens
But I kick my volume way past 10
My story is rough, my neighbourhood is tough
But I still sport gold, and I'm out to crush
My name is Cool J, I devastate the show
But I couldn't survive without my radio

/I had a JVC that you could take one of the tape decks out and use as a walkman...so def

 
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